Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Executive Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), on Friday lauded the introduction of the Diaspora Professionals Healthcare Initiative (DPHI) aimed at improving healthcare delivery in the country.

Mr Gabriel Odu, Media Assistant of NIDCOM, made this known in a statement.

The commendation is coming against the backdrop of the 25th Anniversary of the Association of Nigerian Physicians.

According to Odu, Dabiri-Erewa disclosed this in her presentation at the 2019 Annual Scientific Convention and Assembly of Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas (ANPA) held in the U.S.

The convention on ‘National Health and Development Initiatives: Role of the Diaspora’ was organized with the objective of promoting constructive and efficient collaboration between medical personnel in the country and those in the diaspora.

“The healthcare delivery system in Nigeria is in for a better deal making it more robust, accessible, affordable and effective especially in rural communities”.

“The DPHI is to among other things harness the abundant resources of highly skilled Nigerian Diaspora healthcare practitioners and increase their participation in Nigeria’s efforts to strengthen its health systems”.

“Build abilities by placing Nigerian healthcare professionals from the Diaspora in volunteer positions in government tertiary and secondary level institutions and hospitals in Nigeria,” Odu said.

He quoted Dabiri-Erewa as urging ANPA to restructure its medical missions to make it more sustainable and well-documented for posterity.

He also said that the commission’s operational objective was in tandem with the 3-point Agenda of the  President Muhammadu Buhari administration in terms of national security, anti-corruption crusade, and economic growth and diversification.

“The Nigerian Diaspora is part and parcel of the building blocs of accelerated economic prosperity using their resources, global exposure and aligning with home-based professionals to get to the next level,” Odu added.

He explained that with the establishment of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission the issue of Brain Drain will be reversed to Brain Gain and more recently Brain Circulation.

He further said that NIDCOM would provide the needed platform for a one-stop-Commission for Diaspora matters. (NAN)